Antony and Cleopatra (novel)

infobox Book |
name = Antony and Cleopatra
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Colleen McCullough
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Australia
language = English
series = Masters of Rome series
genre = Historical novel
publisher = Simon & Schuster
release_date = 4 December 2007
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 567 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 1-4165-5294-4 (first edition, hardback)
preceded_by = The October Horse (novel)
followed_by = none

"Antony and Cleopatra" is the seventh and purposely last novel in Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series.

Plot summary

McCullough continues her "Masters of Rome" series with the seventh and final installment, "Antony and Cleopatra". The novel spans the years 41 B.C. to 27 B.C, from the aftermath of the Battle of Philippi and the suicide of Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus until the downfall of the second triumvirate, the final war of the Roman Republic and the renaming of Octavian to Augustus in 27 BC. The novel, which is supposed to be McCullough's last in the series, focuses mainly on the famous love story between Mark Antony, victor at Philippi, and queen Cleopatra, earlier the lover of Caesar.

This book differs greatly from Shakespeare's treatment of these events; Cleopatra is portrayed as no great beauty, but rather an inept politician who helps ruin Antony's cause by publicly meddling in affairs of state, and Antony is, for much of the book, far more in love with Cleopatra's wealth than her person. Caesarion is portrayed as a gifted, idealistic youth who would be far happier had he never been a king, and who is not happy with his mother's ambitious plans to make him ruler of all the East. Octavian is depicted as pragmatic to the point of total ruthlessness but not needlessly cruel.

Release details

*2007, US, Simon & Schuster (ISBN 1-4165-5294-4), Pub date 4 December 2007, hardcover (First edition)